Chinese Caramel Apple Dessert with Sesame Recipe
This Chinese caramel apple dessert with sesame is a simpler version of the popular Chinese fruit in a crispy caramel coating. The apples are soft inside, with a thin, sweet shell on the outside and a hint of sesame. A bit like a cross between baked apples, soft caramel candy, and sesame brittle – perfect as a warm dessert after dinner.
Ba si ping guo is a popular dessert in northern China, often ordered to finish family dinners in Sichuan restaurants. Traditionally, the hot pieces are dipped into a bowl of ice-cold water to instantly harden the caramel.
A quick, home-style take on a classic Chinese caramel fruit dessert: soft, warm apples in a thin, glassy caramel shell with nutty sesame. It delivers the texture and flavor of restaurant-style caramel apples without complicated techniques or special equipment.
Why this version works
- The ratio of flour to starch creates a light yet stable coating that doesn’t fall off in the caramel.
- Adding oil to the caramel keeps it from crystallizing as easily and helps it coat the fruit nicely.
- Toasting the sesame seeds separately intensifies their aroma and prevents them from burning in the hot caramel.
Chef's tips
Prepare all ingredients and tools before you start making the caramel – once the sugar reaches the right color, you need to work quickly so the apples get evenly coated. Do not overcrowd the pan when frying, or the oil temperature will drop and the batter will soak up more fat and turn greasy instead of crisp.
How to serve
Serve immediately after coating in caramel, while the outside is still crunchy. They are great as a dessert after an Asian-inspired dinner, on a dessert platter with other small sweets, or as a warm snack with green tea or jasmine tea.
Watch out for
- Don’t fry too many pieces at once – the oil will quickly lose temperature and the batter will soak up the fat.
- Don’t stir the caramel with a spoon at the beginning, or the sugar may clump into crystals instead of melting.
- Don’t let the caramel get very dark brown – it will turn bitter and overpower the flavor of the apples.
Ingredients
- firm, sweet-and-tart apples e.g. Ligol, Reinette - 3 pieces
- flour about 1/2 cup - 80 g
- potato or corn starch about 2 tablespoons - 30 g
- baking powder - 0.5 teaspoons
- water for the batter - 100 ml
- oil for deep-frying, e.g. rapeseed - 500 ml
- sugar about 1/2 cup, for the caramel - 120 g
- water for the caramel - 3 tablespoons
- sesame seeds toasted in a dry pan - 2 tablespoons
- oil for the caramel, optional - 1 teaspoon
Preparation
- Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut into larger pieces – e.g. wedges or thicker slices.
- In a bowl, mix the flour, starch, and baking powder. Gradually add 100 ml of water, whisking until you get a smooth, thick batter, slightly thinner than pancake batter. If it is too thick, add a little more water.
- Heat the frying oil in a pot or deep pan to about 170–180°C. If you do not have a thermometer, drop in a little batter – if it floats up immediately and starts frying, the oil is ready.
- Dip the apple pieces in the batter, let the excess batter drip off slightly, then carefully place them into the hot oil.
- Fry the apples in batches for 3–4 minutes, turning, until the batter is golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil.
- In a clean, dry pan, add the sugar, 3 tablespoons of water, and 1 teaspoon of oil (the oil helps the caramel become shinier). Heat over medium heat without stirring at first, until the sugar dissolves and starts to bubble.
- When the syrup turns light golden, gently swirl the pan (do not stir with a spoon) until the color becomes a rich golden-amber. Be careful not to let the caramel get too dark, or it will taste bitter.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Quickly add the fried apple pieces to the caramel and gently stir with a spoon so that each piece is coated in a thin layer of caramel.
- Immediately sprinkle the apples with the toasted sesame seeds and toss gently again.
- Arrange the apple pieces separately on a plate lined with baking paper or on a greased plate so they do not stick together. Serve right away, while the caramel is still slightly warm and crispy.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
This dessert reminds me of the caramel fruit skewers sold at street stalls in China. At home I like to make it with slightly tart apples, because they balance the sweetness of the caramel better and pair beautifully with the toasted sesame.
